Winter Master Class: Valhalla – An Aristocratic Myth?

The aim of this Master Class would be to delve into the origins and meanings of Valhöll as representative for the conceptions of death among a particular class of people – the aristocracy. Several clues point to the possibility that Valhöll—which translates to "the hall of the warriors killed in battle"—was first used as late as the 900s. Most likely, the name originated from be employed as a mythological designation for a previous interpretation of Odin's dwelling. In the realm of the gods, he introduced notable fighters who had perished in combat. One common line of thinking was in terms of evolutionary mythology, from the more general afterlife in Hel, in and underneath the grave, towards a more specialised Viking heaven. The multitude of motifs we find linked to Valhöll – splendour of the palace, shielded roofs, never-ending liquor, everlasting boar meat, glorious deeds performed by the Einherjar – point…